Which is healthier: pork or beef?

A:

Quick Answer

Choosing between pork and beef depends on one’s fitness goals; if one wants to lose weight, pork is slightly lower in calories, but if one is trying to build muscle or add weight, beef is slightly better. Because of the similar nutritional content of the two types of meat, the choice between the two is fairly equivalent.

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If one eats a 4-ounce portion of pork, the average calorie count is 140, but the same size of beef has 200 calories. Eating pork every day instead of beef would save 420 calories in a week, but since one has to have a deficit of 3,500 calories to lose 1 pound, this is not a significant difference.

The average 4-ounce serving of pork has 4.5 grams of fat, while the relative amount of fat in beef varies significantly with processing. The most fatty cuts of beef contain as much as 11 grams of fat in 4 ounces, according to Livestrong, so the cut selected will make a major difference.

In terms of protein, a 4-ounce beef portion has 24 grams on average, while pork contains 22 grams. Comparing labels is a great way to immediately compare nutritional content. When looking to start a high-protein diet to lose weight or gain muscle, either one of these meats would be helpful.